The highest extent of MilRP in Research I have ever seen is somebody saluting the CSO, or an assistant saluting an Ensign. I have never seen a CSO that tells their subordinates to form ranks or do anything else military-related. Sure, some are more stern than others, NJPs are a thing, but I feel like it has place in the current setting.

For an exploration ship where Science is of vital importance, having it be the domain of corporations is very strange indeed.

None of the statements in the OP are accurate to how things were when the change happened. You have some very thick rose-tinted glasses on if you think RD or CL were meaningful roles just because they had an NT logo on them, and they are bifocals if you think corporate RP was an improvement on wearing a uniform. The only meaningful difference before and after, other than more cohesive staff structure, was that NTScience was more inclined to barricade itself in the fabrication bay and print AEGs to threaten Command with for touching sovereign corporate soil, and if that is your idea of 'factional conflict' then I would suggest adding a submap or something rather than trying to bring back self-antagging dickheads in labcoats.

I'm still pleased as anything with the switch, myself - I always thought it was more than faintly ridiculous that a scientific service running a science vessel wasn't allowed to have scientists or do science! And in all the time I was around early Torch I saw the whole corporate-EC divide come up in a way that wasn't literally a joke like twice.

Out with the self-antagging dickheads in labcoats! In with the self-antagging dickheads in labcoats and sharp uniforms!

Civ science is something that I really hope makes a return someday for a few reasons.

Exploration-Science just doesn’t allow for the same level of moral ambiguity. Yeah the lower level civilian contractors can get away with a few sketchy experiments if they have their paperwork in order but it’s a far cry from the days when the RD would order the interns to throw the (probably illegal) braindead clones at that anomaly that may or may not be extremely lethal.

Having a civilian (potentially a nonhuman one at that) on the bridge and in a position of actual authority also provided a lot of fun RP interactions. Especially when they had to try to convince the rest of the ‘star-trek-lite’ bridge crew to put their ship at risk for profits.

Finally, corporate science used to provide a really nice entry point for anyone coming from a different server that wanted to play in a familiar environment to get used to baystation’s setting and mechanics. Right now they can still play a contractor in a few different departments but if, after a few rounds, they want to try out anything at the ‘senior’ level or above they’ll have to throw themselves into milrp which can be pretty intimidating (or just not appeal to them at all).

1) This conflict was dull, poorly thought out, and often just didn't fit the theme of the server as I see it. Why would an exploration vessel be doing experiments on humans? NT has its own navy, they don't need to piggy back on an EC mission to do naughty things.
2) No it didn't lol
3) I think it has even more powerful role now that it has control over exploration.
4) The EC is a uniformed non-military service and is therefore by definition not milRP. Wearing a uniform and not being a jackass to your boss is not milRP, it's realistic RP.

While not military, it was modelled in a naval style, with employees having ranks and uniforms, along with falling under the jurisdiction of SCUJ.

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While it is not (by definition) a military organization it does have enlisted and officers, uniforms and their regulations, NJPs, and pretty much everything else you would associate with milrp. So while it is a great stepping stone to those who want to dip their toes into that kind of rp without going straight into fleet, it is not a viable branch for someone who wants to avoid milrp entirely.

While it is not (by definition) a military organization it does have enlisted and officers, uniforms and their regulations, NJPs, and pretty much everything else you would associate with milrp. So while it is a great stepping stone to those who want to dip their toes into that kind of rp without going straight into fleet, it is not a viable branch for someone who wants to avoid milrp entirely.

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Yeah, and McDonald's has uniform regulations and write-ups as well. I'm not sure what "pretty much everything else you would associate with milRP" is because we don't have a lot of stuff I associate with MilRP, even in the fleet.

The argument that EC Science is a deterrent for those who want to avoid milRP makes no sense.
You can still play as a corporate scientist, thus being exempt from the Code of Military Justice, NJPs, saluting and everything else EC-related. The possibility to play such a character was not removed and, indeed, many of my friends play a corporate scientist as their primary Sci character.